The Neuroscience of Habit Formation - III

Here we are at the last instalment of our series on "The Neuroscience of Habit Formation." Along the way, we've learned much about the exciting science of habit development and how it affects our everyday lives. The?first part ?of this series delved into the neuroscience of habits, explaining how they form in the brain's most rudimentary areas, the basal ganglia. And how developing new, beneficial practices may catalyse good change, but breaking long-standing ones can be difficult.

The?second part ?focused on what we found to be the primary causes of habit development. We examined how our social circle and other environmental factors, such as media exposure, might influence our behaviour. Mindfulness training effectively increases concentration and regulates one's emotions, allowing one to be completely present in the moment. There was a lot of emphasis on the importance of meditation and positive affirmations as ways to tap into the potential of the subconscious mind and influence one's thinking for the better. We were also introduced to mental visualisation, where one can clearly picture one's ideal conclusion.

In this third and concluding part, we delve further into some keystone habits which can fuel our transformational journey of happiness and success. I aim to illuminate the influence of self-love , body language, and belief systems on human behaviour and well-being. In addition, we want to provide light on the correlation between routines and personal development. Learning how habits arise and how they interact with our decisions and thoughts will lead us to our greatest potential for development and fulfilment as individuals. So, if your self-love is prepared for this life-altering journey, let us start with self-love itself!

Self-love:?Self-love, as shown by?scientific inquiry , is a unique psychological trait with positive implications for one's own happiness, social life, and will to succeed. Since living a moral life involves more than just doing good, any description of appropriate self-love must begin with?examining ?the person who is to love herself. Self-love is a necessary antecedent to self-knowledge because it emphasises the importance of self-knowledge claims within our everyday practice of rationalising and appropriating our activities. In this practice, people must explore the boundaries of their own responsible agency with an open mind, which calls for warm and gentle compassion to avoid being too easy to accept and too cruel to oppose one's shortcomings as a conscious agent. The?research ?contends that this helpful attitude cannot coexist with self-hatred since it is based on an evaluative connection of care.

Vex King writes in his book 'Good Vibes, Good Life ' about how preoccupied we are with other people's thoughts, how they feel about us, or if people hold us in high regard. Unfortunately, we are so under the self-constructed radar of the?'spotlight effect' ?that we seldom pause to consider whether or not we regard or love ourselves. This is problematic since genuine contentment and joy can only be attained when one loves oneself without conditions, regardless of what others may or might think.?

Hence, any contamination of your heart-to-heart connections by your assumptions, prejudices and insecurities must be avoided. As an added bonus, people are naturally drawn to open-minded, happy, secure souls. Therefore, if you don't love yourself, others will have more difficulty loving you. Self-love entails, in part, embracing and loving one's physical self and the body and mind one has been given.

This may be challenging in an era where social media is flooded with pictures of flawlessly proportioned bodies and lives. It's easy to start feeling inadequate after peeping at everyone else's perfect lives and comparing them with their imperfections. But despite appearances to the contrary, everyone typically experiences the same levels of insecurity as the rest of us. This realisation debunks that impressions are important, especially when masked by our proclivity to show the best and hide the worst. Hence, self-love emerges as a far more significant factor, allowing us to embrace and accept ourselves for who we are, despite any perceived imperfections. By cultivating self-love, we pave the way for genuine contentment and fulfilment. Self-love also points towards the magic of forming deep-rooted and undisputed beliefs to bring transformational changes in us.

The power of belief:?If you look closely at the practice of affirmation, visualisation or self-love, you will see that the underlying pattern is to leverage the power of rooting new beliefs in your subconscious. In fact, our faith in God is also one of these subconscious mind hacks which help us tide our miseries with hope and anticipation. According to?studies , more positive emotions, a feeling of personal progress, and the ability to put the past in the past have all been linked to having a connection with (or belief in) a higher power. Faith in a higher power is also linked to the emotional processes that underlie optimism and self-acceptance.

In medical science, a person's physical or mental health improves after taking a placebo or 'dummy' treatment, known as the 'placebo effect '. It shows that the power of belief has even healing powers comparable to medication we are administered. Such findings demonstrate that the mind's influence on our well-being is undeniable, and our ideas can play a pivotal role in shaping our experiences and outcomes. Similar to our thoughts, our physical expressions and gestures can profoundly affect our habits and interactions, influencing how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves.

Body Language:?Our habitual body language primarily?shapes ?how we see ourselves and how others see us. Our demeanour, gestures, and nonverbal clues may influence our routines and actions in several ways. Positive habits and behaviours may be reinforced, along with one's sense of worth and drive when we utilise confident and forceful body language. In contrast, modifying our body language may interrupt destructive thinking and behaviour patterns. To make it simpler for the brain to activate the intended movements automatically, it is helpful to assume appropriate physical postures continuously when practising new habits. When we project an attitude of positivity to the world, it encourages others around us to join us in our pursuit of happiness. By paying attention to our nonverbal signs, we increase our self-awareness, pinpoint the causes of our undesirable behaviours, and choose to replace them with good ones for us.

The Morning Ritual:?There is something about the mornings which makes it the fountainhead of sage advice. The miracle of a morning routine lies in giving the day a headstart, focusing on self-nourishing activities and starting every day with a sense of satisfaction and positive anticipation. According to Hal Elrod's 'The Miracle Morning ,' our morning routine is the key to achieving success and happiness. Elrod recommends six practices—quiet time, affirmations, visualisation, physical activity, reading, and writing—to help us achieve our ideal lives. Doing these basic things in the morning sets the tone for an efficient and fruitful day, improving our lives fundamentally.

In his book "The Miracle Equation ," Elrod develops his case further. According to him, miracles happen in many forms and shapes. The insurance industry refers to them as "acts of God " since they are beyond human control. We have control over the other ones, which includes making our desires come true. In truth, there is a foolproof way to produce miracles; all you need is the know-how. That's when unyielding faith and extraordinary effort come into play, the miraculous equation.

Practically, this involves overcoming mental barriers, discovering and developing your unique skills, and putting in the time and effort required to achieve your goals. For instance, you can rationalise that you don't need to work out today since there's always tomorrow. However, rather than only influencing the present, your choice will ultimately shape the person you become. In the early morning, argues Robin Sharma's 'The 5 AM Club ,' real heroes emerge. Take control of your mornings if you want to take control of the rest of your life. In this complicated era, protecting your peace and building your creativity first thing in the morning are essential. So, what should be the ideal ritual to end if the day begins with a morning ritual?

Daily Journal Entry:?This habit is a simple tool to take stock of and reflect upon our daily activities across time and space.?Research ?shows that people who regularly keep a diary begin to question their lives and try to manage them better. Moreover, diary-keeping has a vital role in the development of writing ability. We all have an inner critic, but we seldom have the time and space to engage with it constructively. Daily dairy writing provides us with an uninterrupted space to engage with this inner critic and take stock of ourselves at both micro and macro levels.

In her best-seller, 'The Courage Habit ,' Kate Swoboda stresses the need to talk to our inner critic. The negative thoughts you've been having about yourself are validated by your Inner Critic. It halts you before you can muster the fortitude to make a significant shift. Ignoring, appeasing, or battling with our critics are common coping mechanisms, but they only provide short-term relief. However, you may still pay attention to your Inner Critic without letting it dictate your actions. Try recording your critic's exact words to see if you can get over its tone. Finding and facing your fears is an essential part of developing bravery. The cue-routine-reward habit loop may be dismantled; the feeling and voice of anxiety can be named, and the stories you tell yourself can be recorded and reframed. Having a 'courageous community' of supportive individuals around you is essential at this time.

Finally, physical elements that may significantly impact one's mental health include diet, physical activity, and sleep. Remember the importance of your social life;?studies ?have shown that having good friends may help you feel happier and healthier overall. Including these in your daily routine may?profoundly affect ?your emotional and physical health. Dr?Wendy Wood , a psychologist at?USC's ?Habit Lab , observed that around 43% of the tasks carried out by her research participants each day were done routinely. Interestingly, at the same time, their minds were preoccupied with something else. Hence, whether you pay heed or not, your habits are already dictating your life irrespective of your attention or acceptance.

In sum, exploring "The Neuroscience of Habit Formation" must have informed you of the complexities of habit formation and its far-reaching effects on one's behaviour and well-being.?Much research has been conducted into the biology of habit formation in the basal ganglia and the elements that drive habit development. We have also discussed the importance of self-love and the strength of belief in determining our routines and decisions. We have also come to appreciate the significance of body language in developing habits since it affects our and others' impressions of us. Additionally, we may take ownership of our life and develop the guts to confront our inner critic by creating a daily morning routine and writing in a diary. Through the use of these methods, we may successfully alter our behaviour at the subconscious level.?

As we wrap off this series, it's essential to remember that our habits influence how we behave and make choices, whether or not we realise it. As a result, we need to be mindful of our daily routines and actively work to create good habits that support our aspirations. Like Picasso, who used his talent and intellect to turn a cloud into the sun, we, too, can make profound changes to our lives by shifting our perspective and adopting a growth mindset. Let us accept this transforming potential and set a path to joy, achievement, and self-discovery by developing constructive routines. We may create a masterpiece out of our life if we learn to love ourselves, have faith in our abilities, and make deliberate decisions, transforming every difficulty into a learning experience and every bad habit into a positive one. Let's remember that we have an infinite capacity for improvement and development and that the more good habits we establish, the closer we are to actualising our entire potential.

Have a wonderful day getting your bearings, and Happy Habiting!